It's no surprise that Chris Nolan's Inception swept the 9th Visual Effects Society Awards with four wins including Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture. The epic visual extravaganza is also expected to score the VFX and other technical awards on Oscar night February 27.

It's no surprise that Chris Nolan's Inception swept the 9th Visual Effects Society Awards with four wins including Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects Driven Motion Picture. The epic visual extravaganza is also expected to score the VFX and other technical awards on Oscar night February 27.

But in an upset, DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon bested Pixar favorite Toy Story 3 in all three categories, including Outstanding Animation in an Animated Feature Motion Picture. And in television, HBO's most expensive series ever produced, Steven Spielberg and Playtone's World War II series The Pacific, also won three awards Tuesday night. Inception star Tom Hardy presented Nolan with the first VES Visionary Award; VFX Masters Randy Cook and Dennis Muren presented the Life Achievement Award to Ray Harryhausen via video.

The VES Awards also recognize VFX in commercials and video games. The full list of winners is below.

The VES Awards will premiere on Reelzchannel on Saturday, February 19, 2011 at 10p ET/PT with repeats through February.